Kathie is no stranger to Orthopedic surgeries, her first surgery was an ACL repair after a knee injury. Luckily, after rehab she was back on the golf course hitting the greens.

But unfortunately it didn’t last long and after a bit of time, found that her arthritis pain was getting worse and limiting her travel and hiking. Despite being retired, she still wanted to live life to the fullest and was ready to do whatever it took to continue living her fullest.

Her first joint replacement was such a success in relieving her arthritis pain, that she has had other other joints replaced as well. The process of recovery wasn’t easy and she worked hard to come back strong from each surgery. But with every surgery she knew what to expect and learned more about making a successful recovery. Now, after four years, she has gone through bilateral hip replacements and bilateral knee replacements.

Today, she is still actively traveling, hiking and golfing. She was motivated to become a PatientPartner™ because she finds herself having more Orthopedic experience as a patient than many in their lifetime.

She is passionate about sharing what she has learned from her surgeries so that others can get the most out of their life!

What About The Possible Complications?

Undergoing surgery can cause a lot of anxiety, especially when there are bad experiences from someone you may know or something that may have been on the news.

Although complications do exist and it is something you have to be aware of, the likelihood of a complication is still very rare! Your medical team will also be working diligently to minimize the risk as much as possible.

Be sure to follow their instructions after to do your part to ensure the best outcome!

Check out some statistics below about common concerns regarding joint replacement surgery:

95% Satisfaction Rate

Studies show that 95% of total knee replacement patients report that they are satisfied with the procedure and 90% report immediate relief from arthritis pain [1]. The satisfaction rate is also the same for total hip replacements!

Implants Are Now Longer Lasting

90% of knee implants now last 10 years and 80% now last 20+ years without issues [2] depending on patient activity level and health. In hips, 80% of implants can last 15 years and 70% last 20+ years [3].

Low Risk

The infection risk for both total hip and total knee replacements are extremely low. Occurring in only about 1% of cases! [4]

PatientPartner™ is proud of meaningful connections the program creates. Kathie’s story is just one of many showing how successful Orthopedic surgeries can be at giving patient’s their life back!

We connect those who are about to have a joint replacement with patient's who have previously had that surgery so you get to know the surgical journey from the patient's perspective.

Our PatientPartners™ are there to guide you through your surgical journey each and every step of the way.

References

Fawzi, Natalie, and Krucik, George, MD, “Knee Replacement Stastics Infographic” (healthline.com)

Cedars-Sinai Orthopedic Center (cedars-sinai.edu)

How Long Do Hip Replacements Last? (n.d.). https://www.zimmerbiomet.com/patients-caregivers/article/hip/hip-replacement-longevity.

Joint Replacement Infection - OrthoInfo - AAOS. OrthoInfo. (n.d.). https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/joint-replacement-infection/